Jump to content

Cycling North After Winter


Bucketeer

Recommended Posts

For gloves a full finger padded and fingerless pair for hotter climes will save your ulnar nerve from packing in (numb hand extends up your wrist can do permanent nerve damage).

This is the current main issue I have with motorcycle commuting, would you look at weight transfer too? My numb hands are killing me, taking gabapentin for ulnar nerve pain it’s that bad.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the current main issue I have with motorcycle commuting, would you look at weight transfer too? My numb hands are killing me, taking gabapentin for ulnar nerve pain it’s that bad.

What are you riding? My old FZ was not the most comfortable thing to comute on in slower traffic, once moving at speed it was fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vaseline is a cure for lots of ills. I would caution against using the same jar for chapped lips and sore bits though :-o

I only have one jar, it does everything, lips, danglies, door locks ( actual locks not Cockanee ryming slang ) and anything else Petroleum lube is needed for.. come on it's petrol not a petri dish.. it's also so old it's gone yellow..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're heading through Belgium - I have a place for a few nights if you need it. Also have a decent sleeping bag if you need it and can help out in any way shape or form if you want.... late to the show I know - but open doors here in Brussels.

Just PM me and if I can help I will….. good luck dude.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've cycled a lot in "third world" countries, Cuba, Brasil. Kyrgyzstan, Surrey, Nepal etc and found that using what is available locally to make a "comfy" saddle modification very suitable for sit up and cruse touring mode rather then racing mode. Particulate favourite is pigs liver, available in most countries via local farmers,  soft and supple enough to mould to the shape of the saddle one side and cushion aching muscle. You can get them in vacuum packed catering packs from Bookers Wholesale, I can lend you a  Bookers card. I found Mangalitsa pig's liver is probably the best and when fed on oak apples in the hills it's very hard to find better. Not suitable for vegan arses.

 

post-7239-0-94046800-1543489864_thumb.jpeg

 

 

No not like that

 

post-7239-0-92892400-1543490660_thumb.jpeg

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Earlier this afternoon I set about tinkering with the bike before a decent ride out to check everything was alright.

 

I began with moving the bar ends so that they were more upright and would enable me to be slightly less bent over in the saddle.

 

post-13750-0-25323000-1543595149_thumb.jpg

 

I then got out the kick stand that I bought cheap last night in Asda.

 

post-13750-0-19916800-1543595178_thumb.jpg

 

Unfortunately due to the unique way in which this particular bike is designed the stand had no chance of fitting and would have been far too short even if I'd bodged it on somehow, so I waved it off in friendly fashion and introduced it to the bin.

 

post-13750-0-12831800-1543595209_thumb.jpg

 

I attached the lock to the bike, which even I couldn't mess up.

 

post-13750-0-08415800-1543595262_thumb.jpg

 

Next up was an animal comfort check.

 

post-13750-0-83210800-1543595310_thumb.jpg

 

The cat seemed happy enough in the basket but the dog looked pretty grumpy about the whole affair.

 

post-13750-0-13556800-1543595353_thumb.jpg

 

For one of our previous autotest escapades, Moog had got name stickers printed for the window of his Puma and I still had the spare stickers so applied one to the front mudguard.

Too much?

 

post-13750-0-30007400-1543595399_thumb.jpg

 

Then finally I was ready to go out for a nice ride. Obviously at this exact moment the heavens opened so I sacked that off as a bad job and retreated to my 'house' for tea* and scones*.

 

post-13750-0-06960400-1543595439_thumb.jpg

 

So another unsuccessful attempt to actually ride the bike more than about half a mile, but I did stick some more tat on it so all was not lost.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’d suggest dropping the nose of the saddle a nadgers, as it will reduce unwanted pressure on your bits. Or even drop it a bit as it will reduce unwanted pressure on your nadgers. Not too much so that you slide off though. Start with it horizontal going by the Volvo bootlid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You may already know this but many don't. Don't cross your chain is very important amongst other things. Crossing your chain is when your sprocket and chain is small front and small back or big front and big back.

 

Have a read of this: https://www.evanscycles.com/coffeestop/advice/how-to-use-your-gears

 

You can get away with it occasionally, but continuously shift into the wrong gears will significantly shorten the life of your sprockets and chains. Think of it like you wouldn't red line a car all the time and drive along the motorway in 3rd gear all the time.

 

Also have a look at some videos on how to index your gears, change brake pads and cables. If you ever have to do any maintenance (you probably will) you'll need to know how to do it and probably at the side of the road or outside a shop with no mobile phone data to Google it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did manage to have quick bez up and down the road after the rain stopped and the lock doesn't touch my legs, maybe I'm bandy legged and never knew it.

One of the few things I did already know was about crossing the chain but I'll defo check those links out, thanks SiC and RichardMorris. Any advice is always welcome, however obvious it might seem. Never assume I know everything/anything.

There was a slight issue earlier with the centre of the three front sprockets which makes that one currently unusable, so I'll have to investigate that when it's not dark. I'd rather not have to go 1,2,3,4,24,25,26,27 all the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How many tyres does one trailer need?

They'll wear through pretty quick with the weight of six_cylinder's lovely warm Rayburn in the trailer.

Srsly tho, Stanky sent me three tyres and the the other two are the old cracked ones that I got castigated for when I suggested I was happy to use them.

I had a difficult choice to make, but in the end I settled on Holy Roller and Dirt Monster for the trailer, with Maxx Daddy in reserve.

 

post-13750-0-88032200-1543946911_thumb.jpg

 

post-13750-0-69928300-1543946944_thumb.jpg

 

post-13750-0-86100900-1543946973_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally managed to get out for a half decent ride today.

 

post-13750-0-01809300-1543947690_thumb.jpg

 

Things I did learn:

 

My toes get really cold when cycling. I did look for some big thick socks the other day but the price put me right off so I'll just have to wear all my socks at once. No problem.

 

I'm massively unfit. To be fair I did kind of know this already, but the level of my unfitness did surprise me. This will improve as my journey progresses. No problem.

 

Many car drivers in this country are absolute dicks towards cyclists. I won't be cycling in this country though, so no problem.

 

The bar ends make excellent glove and hat holders for when I've worked up a sweat.

 

post-13750-0-23977100-1543947729_thumb.jpg

 

I also didn't realise that, opposite to walking, you actually get colder when you're cycling (due to the cold rushing air) and you heat up when you stop.

 

I learned that I can smoke and take photos at the same time while riding. Useful to know.

 

Overall I was well impressed with the rig.

 

post-13750-0-28340000-1543947775_thumb.jpg

 

Except for one problem that I had noticed previously but only really investigated today.

The centre of the three front cogs was making unpleasant noises and jumping when in use, and it appears it's a bit buggered. The cog itself is bent and the teeth are of many varied sizes and shapes.

 

post-13750-0-00262000-1543947823_thumb.jpg

 

post-13750-0-83378800-1543947885_thumb.jpg

 

post-13750-0-23636000-1543947918_thumb.jpg

 

There's not a great deal I can do about this, so I reckon I'll just have to live with it and avoid using that sprocket. It's certainly not ideal but I'm a glass half full kind of idiot, so no problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The cogs are usually different shapes and sizes to aid shifting. The problems come when they have a hook shape ( imagine a wave crashing ) which indicates high wear. It is possible to buy replacements, but is often cheaper to replace the whole crankset, then you need a new chain, and probably a new cassette on the back too. If you can live with it, I’d leave it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's right.  That said some of those teeth do look a bit hook shaped.  Is the front derailleur cage catching the chain in the middle position?  Assuming that's set up OK and the chainring is actually bent you could try straightening the chaining with pliers if you can get access but if I was setting off on a long trip I would replace.  Is it a square taper bottom bracket?  If so a replacement should be easy enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I wasn't really fussed about the varying sizes of the teeth. It just the bentness of the centre cog that means the chain doesn't sit on it for a couple of teeth per rotation, and that means I can't use it without nasty noises and chain torture. If I don't want to cross the chain I'll effectively only have the first four or five gears and the last four or five.

Hopefully none of this sounds like complaining. I'd still be happy if it had no gears and I had to push it up hills and freewheel down.

Edit - I did try to straighten the centre sprocket with pliers but to little or no effect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I wasn't really fussed about the varying sizes of the teeth. It just the bentness of the centre cog that means the chain doesn't sit on it for a couple of teeth per rotation, and that means I can't use it without nasty noises and chain torture. If I don't want to cross the chain I'll effectively only have the first four or five gears and the last four or five.

Hopefully none of this sounds like complaining. I'd still be happy if it had no gears and I had to push it up hills and freewheel down.

It'll be fine, it's just a bit of a pain that

If it’s just bent, it’s likely someone had a chain come off and jam between two of the rings and they’ve levered it out. It’s possible to take the whole lot apart and I suppose you could hammer it flat?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...